Members of Parliament have concluded that ‘taxpayers have been left exposed’ after the failed outsourcing of an NHS hospital to private operators.

Hinchingbrooke Hospital in Cambridgeshire was outsourced to Circle Holdings in 2012. However, Circle Holdings opted to pull out of the deal in January, after it became apparent that the Care Quality Commission (CQC) was on verge of releasing a damning report on their operations.

The independent regulator found causes for concern regarding management, patient safety and staffing. The trust also became the first in England to be rated as inadequate for medical care. Circle Holdings has since disputed these claims.

MPs have condemned the fact that the bill for this ‘ultimately unsuccessful experiment’ will be paid in part by UK taxpayers, as Circle Holdings and the NHS were both culpable for some of the financial risk.

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